MED Theatre’s new community play ‘The Murder of Nicholas Radford’ explored the motivations behind one of the most notorious private murders of the 15th century, which contributed to the start of the Wars of the Roses, and may have had its origins in a Dartmoor tin-mining dispute.
Due to the global pandemic of COVID-19, MED Theatre was sadly given no choice but to cancel three out of the five performances of this community play. The cast, production team and MED Theatre staff thank you all for your ongoing support and look forward to being able to perform for you again soon.
Devon in the 1450s – allegiances are divided between Lord William Bonville and the Earl of Devon, Thomas Courtenay senior, with his sons Thomas and Henry. Between them stands the figure of Nicholas Radford, the most famous lawyer in the South West, seemingly championing the rule of law against the threat of violence that will eventually burst out into the War of the Roses. In the background, high up on Dartmoor, lurk the forces of darkness and the unwritten laws of natural justice, countering betrayal with revenge.
‘The Murder of Nicholas Radford’ explored the consequences of the breakdown of the rule of law in charting the events surrounding the death of medieval Devon’s most famous lawyer. The play was written by artistic director and playwright Mark Beeson in blank verse in an attempt to get inside the medieval mind, and makes verbatim use of vivid contemporary accounts to extract a human relevance for today. The March tour continued MED Theatre’s tradition of producing challenging community productions for village halls. MED Theatre has been engaging people in original drama inspired by local history, ecology, and current issues relevant to Dartmoor and Devon for over three decades.
The dates of the performances are :
For more information please contact Med Theatre: info@medtheatre.co.uk or call 01647 441356
‘Language that William Browne and Shakespeare would both have delighted in’ Dr Tom Greeves
